Compiled by Patrick Avenell

Sony Computer Entertainment today confirmed that the new PlayStation 4 console will be released in Australia on Friday 29 November 2013. This is two weeks after the United States launch on 15 November 2013. The PS4 is due to retail for RRP $549. 

Also revealed was the new pricing for the PS Vita Wi-Fi and 3G (RRP $269) and the PlayStation 3 12GB (RRP $269); these new RRPs are effective 2 September 2013.

Sony announcement (edited for readability):

At the Gamescom trade fair in Cologne, Germany, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today revealed that the highly anticipated PlayStation 4 (PS4) computer entertainment system will be arriving in SCEE regions, including Australia and New Zealand, from 29 November 2013.

A huge range of software and entertainment services were also unveiled, including five all-new PS4 titles from SCE Worldwide Studios: Rime, Hell Divers, Shadow of the Beast, Resogun and Everybody’s Gone to The Rapture.

Showing a clear commitment to delivering gamers fresh new experiences, the conference featured a non-stop series of announcements for new games across PlayStation Vita (PS Vita), PlayStation 3 (PS3) and the upcoming PS4.

“We have always been committed to making next generation products but now we’re increasingly focused on making those products for next-generation gamers,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SCEE.

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Re-evaluating E3: Great Games & Confusing Consoles
(Troy Mayes; August 2013)

While gaming enthusiasts waited patiently on the edge of their seats for the PlayStation 4 (PS4) to be revealed, Sony began its E3 presentation by looking to the past, focusing on the roles the PS Vita and PlayStation 3 (PS3) will play. The Vita is being pegged as the ultimate companion device to the PS4, due to its Remote Play feature, as well as a capable device in its own right.

The company also reiterated that its commitment to the PS3 is as strong as ever, with a gaming lineup that matches or exceeds any of its previous E3 launches.

Sony highlighted a string of notable exclusives for the console, including the well-reviewed The Last of Us, racing series favourite Gran Turismo 6, the impressive Beyond: Two Souls, and the more intriguing titles Puppeteer and Rain.

These last two titles will be released on the PS3 just before the release of the next-generation, and they have some really innovative and different ideas. Rain uses a watercolour art style with the player controlling an invisible boy who can only be seen when it is raining.

The title has a strong focus on narrative as the protagonist navigates through the invisible world he now inhabits — this is a unique concept for the adventure game genre.

Puppeteer is a 2D platformer that combines both adventure and puzzle mechanics. It doesn’t have the level creation mechanics of its similar predecessor, LittleBigPlanet, but it does look like a lot of fun and possibly even more challenging.

Sony revealed that the PS4 will sell for recommended prices of $399 in the United States and $549 in Australia (but, of course, retailers can charge whatever they want).

This price difference is a lot higher than for the Xbox One, which will be $499 in America and $599 in Australia (once again, retailers can charge what they like); but, overall, the console is still $50 cheaper than the Xbox One.

The PS4 comes with a controller and HDMI cable in the box but the new PlayStation 4 Eye camera is a separate purchase. This may help to explain why it can undercut the Xbox One, which requires the Kinect camera for operation.

Sony stated that the PS4 will not alter the current used game system. For disc-based games you can trade them at retail, sell or lend to a friend or keep forever.

Over 140 games are in development for the PS4 and 40 of those titles are exclusives. Three internal titles will launch with the console: Sony Japan Studio’s Knack, Guerrilla Games’ Killzone: Shadow Fall and Driveclub from Evolution Studios.

The focus on smaller, independent titles was also a nice change of pace. Independent games are going to be a huge draw for Sony because of the freedom it is giving indies to publish their games themselves. Transistor by Supergiant Games and Secret Ponchos out of Switchblade Monkeys, in particular, looked like a lot of fun and demonstrated that Sony is attracting quality talent with this program.

Microsoft is open to independent publishers, but they require a publishing partner to publish on the 360 and the One. The PS4 does not require this and is allowing smaller studios to self-publish, giving them more freedom to set pricing and immediate access to revenue, instead of having to reach an agreed amount of sales.

(UPDATE: Microsoft has since backflipped on this:

"Our vision is that every person can be a creator. That every Xbox One can be used for development.  That every game and experience can take advantage of all of the features of Xbox One and Xbox LIVE," said Xbox chief product officer Marc Whitten, quoted by Gamenformer. "This means self-publishing.  This means Kinect, the cloud, achievements.  This means great discoverability on Xbox LIVE.  We'll have more details on the program and the timeline at Gamescom in August.")

Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton guaranteed that discbased games will require no online authentication, saying they “won’t stop working if you haven’t authenticated within 24 hours”.

Microsoft tried to rectify the public perception of the device by focusing almost exclusively on game announcements. Previously announced titles, such as Forza 5 and Quantum Break, received further attention.

Quantum Break now looks like one of the console’s most ambitious titles. It deals with the concept of time travel, giving the two main characters the ability to manipulate time in a world where time is collapsing in on itself. Time manipulation itself is a compelling game mechanic, but Quantum Break is also being developed with a companion live-action TV show.

According to developer Remedy, “How you play the game impacts the show, and the show informs how you play the game”. Project Spark, developed by Team Dakota, also demonstrated Microsoft’s ambitions for the next console generation. This is a world-building, game-maker game in the vein of LittleBigPlanet and Minecraft, and it utilises Kinect, Microsoft’s SmartGlass application and conventional controllers for creation.

Other game announcements included a new Halo from 343 Industries, Rare’s revival of the fighting game Killer Instinct and third-party exclusives Dead Rising 3 from Capcom Vancouver, Crytek’s Ryse: Son of Rome, Insomniac Games open-world action game Sunset Overdrive, and Remedy Entertainment’s multiplayer shooter Titanfall.

The Halo announcement disappointed onlookers, mainly because it was revealed that the game will not be available until 2014. The release of a new Halo title at the launch of the Xbox One would have been a major drawcard for Microsoft and would give the console a must-play title.

Microsoft’s confusing elements related to used games, online connection, Kinect and region locking. Wired reported that used games would require a small fee from gamers to play on the Xbox One, while Xbox vice president Phil Harrison told Kotaku that gamers would need to connect to the internet every day to use the console.

Microsoft then endured a series of clarifications and backflips: used games will not require a separate fee, the Xbox One will not require an ‘always on’ internet connection, and there will be “no limitations” on disc-based games — the same policy as with the Xbox 360 — according to Microsoft Interactive Entertainment president Don Mattrick.

The PS4 and the Xbox One share a very frustrating aspect: no backwards compatibility with existing PS3 and Xbox 360 titles. This is due to the incompatibility of the respective systems’ hardware.